ROCKLAND, Maine — Lynn Archer's great grandma taught her to use up leftovers - and that is a lesson she still remembers. On the menu today? Pea Soup. Lynn owns The Brass Compass and Archer's on the Pier in Rockland.
You'll need:
A ham bone, and leftover ham cut off the bone
one onion
a few carrots
a few stalks of celery
two bags of peas
olive oil
Preparation:
Cut the excess ham off the bone, and discard fatty parts. Dice onion, carrot and celery, and saute in a big soup pot with olive oil. Once veggies saute a bit, add diced ham. Add ham bone. Add two pounds of split peas. For a thick pea soup, add 6 cups of water per bag, 12 cups in total. (For a thinner soup, add more water.) Bring to boil and boil for about ten or fifteen minutes. Add a bit more water, cover, and simmer for several hours. Keep checking and keep the soup at a high simmer! You want the peas to cook down and be really soft. When the soup is nearly finished cooking, remove the bone, and cut off any last meat from the bone. Let the soup simmer for another half hour. Shout out to husband Walt for the great camera work!